Eileen Marie (Kogl) Unger was born on July 16, 1938, south of Herndon,
Kansas. She was the fourth of five children born to Clemens J. and
Alvina A. (Nehring) Kogl. She entered eternal life on January 23, 2022,
at the age of 83 following a mighty battle against a long-time illness.
Eileen attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and graduated salutatorian
from Herndon High School in 1956. To her friends and family, she was
known as Toots.
On July 27, 1957, she married her one true love, Charles Edward Unger,
at the Assumption of Mary Catholic Church (St. Mary’s) in Herndon, and
they made their home on a farm north of town for almost 65 years of
marriage. To this union, six children were born. Eileen was a true
farmwife and could hand milk a cow faster than the milking machine, ride
a horse to move cattle, catch and tag baby calves, raise pigs, and
drive truck during harvest.
Eileen was baptized into the Catholic faith at St. Mary’s where she
received the sacraments of Confession, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation and
Matrimony. She had a devout and strong faith, was an active member of
the St. Mary’s Christian Mothers Altar Society, served on various church
committees and taught CCD religious education. She especially enjoyed
the friendship of the Casserole Club ladies.
Eileen loved to travel, including a trip to London, England. She loved
to read and enjoyed trading books with her reading buddies. She was a
tough competitor in cards and board games and was an avid football fan
with her favorite teams being Kansas State and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Eileen is survived by her husband, Charles; her children and their
spouses: Jeffrey James (Marilyn) Unger, Margaret “Peggy” Susan (Kent)
Been, Dr. Beverly Ann (Tom) Zipfel, Pamela Marie Anderson, Karen Renee
(Scott) Elliott, and Valerie Jo (Rob) Rogers; six grandchildren:
Clarissa Unger, Nicholas Rogers, Andrew Rogers, Dr. Amy (Brian) Bennett,
Matthew Zipfel, and Allison (Jonathan) Hislop; three
great-grandchildren: Felicity, Christopher and Adelaide; siblings:
Dorothy Reinert and Tom (Jean) Kogl; in-laws: James R. (Carole) Unger,
Shirley Barenberg, Virgil (Cathy) Unger, and Roma (Bruce) Murdoch; many
nieces and nephews, lifetime friend Myrna Pettera, special family friend
and “little brother” Fr. Kerry Ninemire, as well as many neighbors and
friends.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws Edmund and
Bertha Unger; siblings Clemens (Rose Marie) Kogl and Melvin (Regis)
Kogl; brothers-in-law Pete Reinert, Kenneth Unger, Larry Barenberg, and
Jerry Wallman; nephew Gary Reinert and niece Marie Moore.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 27,
2022, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Herndon. A rosary
will be prayed prior to the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Interment will
follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made
to the Eileen Unger Memorial Fund for future gifts to be made by the
family and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS
67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com